THE MILITARY DIET OR THE THREE DAYS HOW DOES IT WORK? - NUTRITION - 2025

The military diet, also called the 3-day diet, is a weight loss diet that can help you lose up to 4.5 kilograms in a week.

The military diet plan includes a 3 day meal plan followed by 4 days off, and the weekly cycle is repeated over and over again until the desired weight is reached.

Proponents of the diet claim that it was designed by nutritionists in the US military to help soldiers get in shape more quickly. However, the truth is that the diet is not affiliated with any military or government institution. The military diet also goes by other names, such as the navy diet, the army diet, and even the ice cream diet.

It is a somewhat peculiar diet since it can be carried out with food that we generally have in our kitchen in the opposite way that normally occurs with `` miracle diets.

It is a diet based on a reduced number of calories, but paradoxically it is also composed of foods such as sausages or fried foods.

In any case, the so-called military diet will not leave anyone indifferent and you must know it in depth. Here's his explanation:

What is the military diet?

The military diet is a short-term hypocaloric diet (daily caloric restriction, or reduced food intake).

This type of diet is designed for people who want to lose a large amount of weight in a short time, and if strictly followed it is possible to lose up to 5 kg in 3 days.

It's not the classic obnoxious starvation diet where you can only eat lettuce and water all day.

This sewn on meals based on foods that you find in your kitchen normally, and that are not expensive.

In favor of this diet we can say that it will not cost us to get used to it excessively since it is practiced in the hours to which we are accustomed.

In addition, it does not require special ingredients or frozen meals or special diet meals.

This weight loss program includes the combination of this diet and four of your usual menu, "3 days active, 4 days passive."

Although if your goal is to lose weight and stay on it, a change in eating habits could be beneficial.

If after practicing it for the three days you have not lost the weight you want, you can redo the diet after the four days off. If you follow the diet for a month, it is possible to lose 15 to 20 kg.

The duration regarding the time of use of the diet is recommended that you consult with your doctor or a nutritionist to guide you on how much weight you should lose, whether or not you are overweight, and will alert you to the dangers that this diet could cause to your body if you practice it for a long time.

For your curiosity -which I know you are wondering-, no real connection that they have ever had with the army or any military body is specified.

Do you lose weight on the military diet?

The most normal thing is that you lose several kilos if you follow the diet strictly, although the results always vary according to the genetics of the person.

From the official website they promise to achieve results in just a few days and great achievements in a few weeks.

The combination of diet foods are designed to burn fat and activate the metabolism to lose weight quickly without exercising as it contains low calorie foods.

It is also useful to rid your body of toxins when accompanied by fruits that contain potassium.

In order for this diet to be of results it must be followed exactly. That is, no ingredient can be replaced by another at our whim.

This should be well nuanced, the tuna should not be replaced by a slice of pizza but by food of the same type, for example:

If you don't like grapefruit, half a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water will have the same fat-burning benefits.

For those of you who don't like tuna, any other fish is an acceptable replacement and if you don't like fish, any lean protein will work too.

The main caveat for all food substitutions is that everything that is substituted must have the same amount of calories or protein as the food that is being eliminated.

For example, if an apple contains 75 calories, if you decide to eat something other than an apple, it must also contain 75 calories.

Substitutions should also be from similar food groups, that is, substitute fruit with fruits and vegetables with greens. This will ensure that you maintain the desired balance of nutrients at each meal.

The fat in our body is nothing more than calories stored calories. To burn these calories you need to eat less or exercise more to create an energy (calorie) deficit.

The military diet is low in calories, therefore the body will have to resort to using stored fat for fuel, and this causes weight loss.

The number of calories you burn per day is called your 'metabolic rate' and the higher this, the better your fat loss results.

Protein-rich foods have a high thermic effect, which means that eating and digesting them uses a large number of calories.

High-fiber foods like apples, green beans, and broccoli are low in calories and also boost your metabolism.

Foods high in calcium, like ice cream and cottage cheese, are strongly linked to faster fat burning.

The military diet can be beneficial for people who don't have a lot of time to shop and go to different stores that sell specific foods.

It is also good for people with a limited grocery budget, but who aspire to big results. The same to those who do not like complicated diets difficult to follow.

Unlike many diets, which provide so many choices and decisions to make, the military diet, as its name suggests, does not beat around the bush.

For many, sticking to this diet is much easier as they simply have to eat what they are told to eat, and they don't have to spend too much time planning menus or reading recipes.

The "military diet" thoroughly

Although the information that comes to us is that the diet consists of three days, and four of the usual diet, really if we delve into the official website we realize the following sentence:

"On the four days off, we recommend a diet of around 1,300 - 1,500 calories a day, made up of lean protein, vegetables, and low carbohydrates."

What is really meant by this is that we continue to eat the same number of calories as in the military diet but with foods selected by each person, then the diet is not just three days.

On their page they identify themselves as one of the most natural diets, and they recommend those who follow them to avoid artificial sweeteners because they are not good for your health.

However, in the diet include foods such as sausages and fried in the daily diet, foods that are loaded with ingredients are not natural, therefore, it is somewhat contradictory.

If you don't look good, and you want to lose weight fast, any diet that requires drastically low calorie intake is going to make you lose weight.

This diet is widely used for goals set against the clock, such as when summer holidays are approaching.

The sometimes slow progress of other more conventional diets can destroy the patience of some, and therefore, opt for a more drastic method like this.

In addition, conventional diets require a lot of willpower since you have to continue with them for weeks or even months, therefore, the three-day diet is the option of many for special occasions.

As I always say, there are no miracle formulas, in many cases, weight loss is not maintained over time, so nutritional care must be continuous, and if it can be, stable.

Is exercise recommended?

Exercise is not essential during the military diet although moderate workouts are highly recommended and will improve fat loss results.

By exercising we burn calories, but if you are also not going to eat as much as usual, the loss of fat will be faster than by exclusively dieting.

If you are not very used to doing sports, it is fine to start by walking for about 20-30 minutes a day.

Brisk walking and long strides will accelerate calorie loss as you expend more energy.

If you are already used to exercising regularly, continue with the usual schedule, although if you decide to go on the military diet you may feel a little tired or weak.

If this is so, you will have to mark a different exercise routine in duration and intensity.

Example of a military diet plan

DAY 1

Breakfast: Half a grapefruit, a slice of toast with two tablespoons of peanut butter, and a cup of coffee or tea (with caffeine).

Lunch: Half a can of tuna on a slice of toast, and a cup of coffee or tea (with caffeine).

Dinner: Three steaks of any type of meat, a cup of green beans, half a banana, a small apple, and a cup of vanilla ice cream.

DAY 2

Breakfast: an egg (cooked or whatever you like) on a slice of toast, and half a banana

Lunch: One cup of cottage cheese, one hard boiled egg, and five crackers.

Dinner: Two hot dog sausages (no bread), one cup of broccoli, half a cup of carrots, half a banana, and half a cup of vanilla ice cream.

DAY 3

Breakfast: Five crackers, a slice of cheddar cheese, and a small apple.

Lunch: A hard-boiled egg (or whatever you want), and a slice of toast.

Dinner: A cup of tuna, half a banana, and a cup of vanilla ice cream.

References

1. http://themilitarydiet.com
2. http://dailyburn.com/life/health/3-day-military-diet/
3. http://www.skinnybitch.net/the-3-day-military-diet/